Showing posts with label simple stuff. Show all posts
Showing posts with label simple stuff. Show all posts

Thursday, October 10, 2013

My Less Messy Mudroom


I have spent much of this year de-cluttering and organizing my home. I recently tackled my mudroom. The top shelf had been over run with Papa's tools and things, so I found him some space in our kitchen closet for those. Then I moved extra laundry soaps and extra clothes for my afternoon daycare kids to the top shelf.


Then I ditched our hamper for three tubs to separate dirty clothes into more manageable daily amounts. 
I also placed a basket on my dryer just to tote things to and from Mama's house. 
We have a lot of back and forth so this helps a ton with keeping it organized.
I also pulled in a bench to sit on while putting on shoes

(I since replaced it with two chairs 'cause I needed my bench back lol).



I store winter hats and things in the wicker chest,
 and empty egg cartons and diaper bag behind that.
Coats on the hooks, shoes on the rug.
That is about all. Pretty simple. I already had everything I needed.
Not a whole lot of work, just a little creativity.



Tuesday, September 3, 2013

The Compact


Mama and I have been wanting to do this for quite a while, but decided to wait until we got back from vacation. New school year and all, it seemed like a good time to start.

I first read about The Compact on Walk Slowly Live Wildly. At the time, I thought it was cool and all, but not for me. At least, not at that time in my life. But since then, I have greatly simplified our eating by cutting out {almost} all gluten and processed sugars (and as a result have lost over 25lbs), de-cluttered my entire house (some rooms more than once, and still have a way to go), and Mama and I have been reading some pretty inspiring books and blogs and have really started craving an even more simple, less cluttered life... A vague memory of The Compact started coming back to me. So I decided to look into it again.


The Compact is a social and environmental movement whose members promise not to buy anything new for a year. It was started in San Francisco.[1] The movement began as a challenge among 10 friends in 2006

While I am not really planning to Compact for a whole year, I am committing to doing it for the rest of this year (yikes!). That's right family members and close friends, expect homemade and upcycled Christmas gifts from the White family this year! Mama is Compacting for one month at a time. We are both very excited to see how it all turns out. Hopefully we will simplify our lives, and also save a good bit of money from not buying so much.

The best thing about doing this challenge is that we get to make it our own rules. As long as we are following the basic rules, we can add things that fit our way of life... Or more like add things that challenge our way of life.

My rules:
  • Buy nothing new other than food, and health and safety items.
  • All other purchases must be second hand or bartered for. Handmade items can also be bought, but only with money I make by selling items I made myself.
  • For every item brought into my home, another (hopefully a similar item) must be taken out.
My goals:
  • To think and think hard before I buy. Can I make so or do without it? If I get it, what am I willing to give up at home for it?
  • To embrace a cash budget. I have been so spoiled by internet shopping. That instant fake fulfillment of getting whatever I think I need. I am a homebody, so I can bet you that that will be the place I see the biggest challenge and the biggest change. I once read something like, "If Jesus read your credit card statement, what would He think?" Well, we don't have a credit card. The money we use, we actually have in our bank account. But that doesn't make it ours. And I am pretty sure Jesus would wonder why we aren't glorifying Him more (more than just tithing)with the blessings He has given us. It is so easy to swipe that bank card. I plan to pay with cash as much as possible. Hopefully small bills, so I physically have to count it out and hand it over (which will hopefully help with the first goal).
  • To find ways to make do or do without. Get creative, and make it an adventure!
Mama's rules:
  • Absolutely no new personal spending for the month of September, other than groceries (I am fairly certain Amazon will go bankrupt)
  • Severely limit "used" purchases to not exceed any paypal balance I might have from selling items  (used Montessori and Waldorf sales are my weakness)
  • Do not exceed a $200 monthly budget for purchases related to my "just starting up" Montessori preschool (if it weren't for just getting my preschool started this fall, I would eliminate this budget)
  • This does not affect weekly date night with my husband, so a movie and dinner is an allowable expense, but no shopping for datenight ... which will thrill him greatly. for real!
Mama's goals:
  • To break free of my comsumerism mentality (see it, want it, buy it)
  • To become more aware of the vast difference between my life and my brothers and sisters in Christ's lives in poverty stricken areas, and to free up more money to do more about that
  • To be challenged, set free, and have fun with this adventure
  • To see the benefits and continue to compact in the following months

I plan to post updates as we go. I will share the challenges as well as (hopefully) the solutions we find. In the mean time, I would love to hear from any of you that have done The Compact (or something similar) and your experience with it.

 
 

Ready?


Set?
 
 
Go!

Friday, June 21, 2013

100 Days of Play - Picking Wildflowers


With a child, something as simple as going for a walk, can become an epic adventure.


Curiosity, turns into education.


A new find, like an amazing discovery.


A small task, can become a great mission.


And weeds, that I would have walked right by, can become a beautiful wildflower bouquet.


Let your child lead and you will experience beauty and adventure like ever before!
So very much to be grateful for!


I am joining Sun Scholars and Life at the Zoo at their 100 Days of Play!

Sharing this at Soulemama's {this moment} as well ... because it was indeed a beautiful moment!




Each week I join several linky parties!  What a fun way to share and learn! 
Natural Living Monday,  The Children's Bookshelf,  Monday's Kid Corner, Hey Mom, Look What I Did!, Montessori Monday, Made by Little Hands, Homemade Mondays, Mama Moments Monday {Link Up}The Gathering Spot,  Little Wonders' Days,  Mom's Monday Mingle, Mommy Moments, Frugal, Crafty Home,  Hip Homeschool Hop, Mom's Library,  Tuesday Tots, (tot school tuesday), The Tuesday Baby Link-Up, Keep Calm Craft On {crafting on}, Tuned in Tuesday, Teach Me Tuesday, TOO Cute Tuesday, Open Call Tuesday, Backyard Farming Connection HopTuned in Tuesday, Kids in the Kitchen,  Waldorf WednesdayIt's PlaytimeWe Made That Linky, What I Learned Wednesday, Super Link PartyKids Co-Op,  Artsy Play Wednesday, Healthy 2Day Wednesday, Wildcrafting Wednesday, Adorned From Above, Frugal Days, Sustainable WaysKids CraftsLink and LearnThrifty Thursday,  Hearts for Home,  needle and thREAD, Made U LookTender Moments with Toddlers and Preschoolers,  Natural Living Link-Up, Small Footprint Friday,  Our Days Homeschool Link-Up,  For the Kids FridayFarmGirl Friday Blog Hop,  Kitchen Fun and Crafty Friday, Read. Explore. Learn.Creative Learning on Friday,  Preschool and Kindergarten Corner, Friday's Nature TableThe Friday Baby Shower,  TGIF Linky PartyFamily Fun Friday,  Creative Friday, Friday Flair Link Party, Shine on Fridays, Friday FavsOutdoor Play Party,  Do Something CraftyWeekend Whatever,  Saturday Show and Tell,  Tot School Gathering Place,  Sharing Saturday, Share It Saturday, Country Kids, Link and Learn, sharing creative, ideas {all weekend}, Show and Share SaturdayStress Free Sunday,  The Sunday Showcase, The Preschool Prekinder Nook, Fun Sparks, The Sunday Parenting Party, Making Boys MenSpring CarnivalMade with Love, Raising Memories

And each week I co-host Eco-Kids Tuesday Link-Up!


Thursday, April 11, 2013

Crafting Along--Hoops


I have been hooping for several months now.
The cold months did slow me down a bit because there is not much hooping space in my house.


Now that it is getting warmer out, and was downright hot yesterday, we are getting back in the flow.
We made our own hoops for the first time yesterday!


They turned out great!
Mine still needs taped, but seems to be working fairly well bare.


Bunny was so excited and wanted to tape her own hoop.
She is obsessed with taping things lately.
Really, buy the girl a roll of tape and she will love you forever!


We need to get more connectors to make one just for Papa, but until then, he can borrow mine.


Looks like Squirrely will need one before long.
She loves to watch people hoop. Especially Katie, who is soooooo much better than the rest of us.



Jealous...

I hope to finally start to improve my skills from just the basics to the more advanced and more fun.
We will see how it goes.
I might not ever be a great hooper.
But I also might not care.





Each week I joined several linky parties!  What a fun way to share and learn! 
Mommy Moments,  frugal, crafty, home blog hopNatural Living Monday,  The Children's Bookshelf,  Monday's Kid Corner, Hey Mom, Look What I Did!, Montessori Monday, Made by Little Hands, Homemade Mondays, Mama Moments Monday {Link Up}The Gathering Spot,  Little Wonders' Days,  Mom's Monday Mingle,  Hip Homeschool Hop, Mom's Library,  Tuesday Tots, (tot school tuesday), The Tuesday Baby Link-Up, Keep Calm Craft On {crafting on}, Tuned in Tuesday, Teach Me Tuesday, TOO Cute Tuesday, Open Call Tuesday, Backyard Farming Connection HopTuned in Tuesday, Kids in the Kitchen,  Waldorf Wednesday,  It's PlaytimeWe Made That Linky, What I Learned Wednesday, Super Link PartyKids Co-Op,  Artsy Play Wednesday, Healthy 2Day Wednesday, Wildcrafting Wednesday, Adorned From Above, Frugal Days, Sustainable WaysKids CraftsLink and LearnThrifty Thursday,  Hearts for Home,  needle and thREAD, Made U LookTender Moments with Toddlers and Preschoolers,  Natural Living Link-Up, Small Footprint Friday,  Our Days Homeschool Link-Up,  For the Kids Friday, Kitchen Fun and Crafty Friday, Read. Explore. Learn.Creative Learning on Friday,  Preschool and Kindergarten Corner, Friday's Nature TableThe Friday Baby Shower,  TGIF Linky PartyFamily Fun Friday,  Creative Friday, Friday Flair Link Party, Shine on Fridays, Friday FavsOutdoor Play Party,  Do Something CraftyTot School Gathering Place,  Sharing Saturday, Share It Saturday, Country Kids, Link and Learn, sharing creative, ideas {all weekend}, Show and Share Saturday, The Sunday Showcase, The Preschool Prekinder Nook, Fun Sparks, The Sunday Parenting Party, Making Boys MenSpring CarnivalMade with Love
And each week I co-host Eco-Kids Tuesday Link-Up!






Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Wonderfull Wednesday

 
Looking for the wonder in everyday life! 
I'd love for you to join me on this journey. 
If you find wonder along the way, please leave a link in the comments,
so others can share in your wonder!


It was wonderfull to find these purple pretty pansies in my yard in the golden afternoon.


I keep waiting for them to start singing just like on Alice In Wonderland.
They really do look like they have little faces.

Speaking of Alice In Wonderland, isn't it wonderfull all the
wonderfull things that Bunny and Squirrel have yet to experience. 
We just recently watched Mary Poppins with Bunny for the first time.
I have been singing the songs her whole life, she marveled to finally know from where they came.
So many adventures and wonders yet to come in their enchanted childhood.


If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder without any such gift from the fairies, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in” ~ Rachel Carson

Monday, April 1, 2013

A Good Long Weekend


As I have mentioned in previous posts, I have a had a bad case of spring fever this year.
Could be the fact that there have been 6+ months of snow and cold weather. Could be that Papa has been working a ton of overtime and his girls have missed him like crazy. Whatever the reason, the good thing about spring fever is that there is a sure fire definite easy cure for it...
SPRING!


Last week, we bought four ducklings.
Well, actually three of them are my sister Meagan's kids.
But since they have a Great Dane they didn't feel like their house was a safe place for the little fuzzies. So we worked out a plan to get four ducks that will all live at our house, but they can come visit and play with as much as they want.


Bunny promptly named our duck Jemima (of course). She says she is their mother and crawls around playing with them whenever she is allowed to have them out of their brooder.
Squirrely is quite fond of them as well, as you can see.


Then, oh joy of joys, last Tuesday, we found out that Papa was going to have a, not 2, not 3,
but 4 day weekend!!!! 

Thursday morning started with Papa letting Bunny and me sleep in, but waking me up to take Squirrley so he could go talk to the state road workers, who were working up the road from our house. He came back and said he was going to get some of the fill dirt that they were removing from a hillside that was slipping. We spent the rest of the morning running errands and when we got back we found TEN TRUCK LOADS of fill dirt piled high behind our shed. Bunny was excited that Papa got her mountain and she spent quite a bit of time climbing them. Papa did end up flattening them a bit for now. Bunny can still play on them until he gets a chance to smooth the dirt properly.


Friday, we cleaned out the shed and Papa began our big weekend project of making it into a new chicken coop and fencing in a run. Using my dad's tractor, he pulled the shed around the side of our house the backyard. 


The way he took it, there is a steep slope down to the creek
I am quite sure he was trying to give me a heart attack.


As he pulled and pushed it into position, he had some help/direction from both of the girls' great grandpas. Their papa's Papaw Gene and my Poppaw John.


Bunny was pretty excited when they finally got it in place.
She played outside so much and so hard that day, that as soon as we had eaten dinner, she laid down on the hallway floor and fell asleep as her bath water was running.


Saturday, we fenced in the empty space behind out house and backyard. 


Squirrely, who hadn't been feeling well but was finally feeling better, was happy to sit and watch or hang out in the Ergo while we worked.


Bunny kept herself busy playing and sometimes helping.


Having spent several of my younger years, growing up on a small farm, I am no stranger to fencing.


With Papa having put up fences at his old job, and knowing his way around them pretty well, we made a pretty good team. With a little help from Poppaw John, we got it done pretty quickly.


We then prepped the shed to be the new coop.


Not too shabby. These chicken should have no complaints.


And they don't seem to.


The view from my kitchen window.

I am really excited to have them a bit closer to the house. 
It will make taking care of them easier.
I am sure Poppaw John is happy to have his own space back.

And as if we hadn't had enough of chickens for a day, when we got the girls to bed, I realized that I still had to sew the girls Easter dresses.


Papa helped a little and we knocked it out in very little time.
Then we filled up their Easter basket with goodies and went to bed.


Sunday was filled with basket hunting (we hide the Easter basket. It is a tradition), church, Grandma's dinner, home for rest times, Nana and Pap's house, and finally home to bed.
Papa finished up the chicken coop details, and I cleaned up the house a bit.

Today Papa is back to work. But it is 45* out. I have chickens in my backyard, ducks in my laundry room, slightly flatter mountains in my yard, awesome next door neighbors on both sides, my two favorite little girls in the world, and a very full heart.




Each week I joined several linky parties!  What a fun way to share and learn! 
Natural Living Monday,  The Children's Bookshelf,  Monday's Kid Corner, Hey Mom, Look What I Did!, Montessori Monday, Made by Little Hands, Homemade Mondays, Mama Moments Monday {Link Up}The Gathering Spot,  Little Wonders' Days,  Mom's Monday Mingle,  Hip Homeschool Hop, Mom's Library,  Tuesday Tots, (tot school tuesday), The Tuesday Baby Link-Up, Keep Calm Craft On {crafting on}, Tuned in Tuesday, Teach Me Tuesday, TOO Cute Tuesday, Open Call Tuesday, Backyard Farming Connection HopTuned in Tuesday, Kids in the Kitchen,  Waldorf Wednesday,  It's PlaytimeWe Made That Linky, What I Learned Wednesday, Super Link PartyKids Co-Op,  Artsy Play Wednesday, Healthy 2Day Wednesday, Wildcrafting Wednesday, Adorned From Above, Frugal Days, Sustainable WaysKids CraftsLink and LearnThrifty Thursday,  Hearts for Home,  needle and thREAD, Made U LookTender Moments with Toddlers and Preschoolers,  Natural Living Link-Up, Small Footprint Friday,  Our Days Homeschool Link-Up,  For the Kids Friday, Kitchen Fun and Crafty Friday, Read. Explore. Learn.Creative Learning on Friday,  Preschool and Kindergarten Corner, Friday's Nature TableThe Friday Baby Shower,  TGIF Linky PartyFamily Fun Friday,  Creative Friday, Friday Flair Link Party, Shine on Fridays, Friday FavsOutdoor Play Party,  Do Something CraftyTot School Gathering Place,  Sharing Saturday, Share It Saturday, Country Kids, Link and Learn, sharing creative, ideas {all weekend}, Show and Share Saturday, The Sunday Showcase, The Preschool Prekinder Nook, Fun Sparks, The Sunday Parenting Party, Making Boys Men, Made with Love

And each week I co-host two such parties: 



 

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Wonderfull (Full of Wonder) Wednesday


Looking for the wonder in everyday life! 
I'd love for you to join me on this journey. 
If you find wonder along the way, please leave a link in the comments,
so others can share in your wonder 



It is a wonder-full thing to be given a plain sheet of paper to paint, only to find out someone left you a secret picture... of your current obsession... Jemima Puddleduck and the Foxy Gentleman!






The little gasp and the excited "it's the foxy gentleman" when she realized there was a hidden picture made it a wonder filled moment for the "surprise picture maker" as well!



Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Wonderfull (Full of Wonder) Wednesday


Looking for the wonder in everyday life! 
I'd love for you to join me on this journey. 
If you find wonder along the way, please leave a link in the comments,
so others can share in your wonder 


Isn't it wonder-full to get mail? It is just as much fun to send out mail!


So far, as part of My March Mail Mandate, I have mailed out a wire necklace that I donated to help fund an adoption. I blogged about the adoption here. You can donate here. I also tucked in some stickers and beads and things for her little girls.

I painted up the package and the clerk at the post office was pretty impressed. I explained that I was sending it to some little girls. He said that he was 31 years old and would be excited to get a package like that in the mail. See? Mail is awesome!



I also got my first piece of mail from a reader!
And I mailed them out a postcard in return.
Wishing them luck in collecting a postcard from every state.



Now I am gathering some things to send to our friends, Emmy and her mama Lindsay, from over at Apple of Mama's Eye.

They moved to Louisiana with their soldier this past December. When I recently asked Lindsay if there was anything I could send her that they didn't have down there, she said Coco Wheats.

I had no idea they didn't have Coco Wheats everywhere. I haven't eaten them in a long time (especially now that we are gluten free). My brother, Matt, used to make them and mix sprinkles, and candy, and all kinds of crazy things in with them. The smell of cocoa arose from the box as I packed it into the envelope.
Funny how smells can bring back memories.


Real mail is just as wonderfull for the one doing the mailing as for the one receiving the mail!


Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Bunny's Bento Box & Eco Kids Tuesday


As you already know, I recently bought Bunny a LunchBots.
I had intended to use it when we went on outings and whatnot.
But Bunny has decided that almost every meal should be eaten from it.
Since we are now eating gluten free & sugar free, I have been trying to come up with different things with to fill up her box .

Chick Peas, Orange Slices, Peas, and Parmesan Fish

Tomatoes, Apples w/ Peanut Butter, Chick Peas, Steak Strips, and Cheese Stick w/ Ketchup


Carrots w/ Dip, Cheese Burger Bites, Peas, and Chick Peas
Can you tell that Bunny likes Chick Peas?)





Welcome to this week's Eco Kids Tuesday!!
It is amazing how much we have grown in the past few weeks.  This past week we had 83 wonderful link-ups!!


This week I am featuring three Eco ideas that caught my eye! 
And then I have a special feature that I think is important reading!

First, the three features!

Lindsey of Apple of Mama's Eye shared how to keep your bathroom smelling fresh! 
We do this and it makes a huge difference!



Brown Thumb Mama shared a natural essential oil hand sanitizer!  Like Brown Thumb Mama, we don't like the chemicals found in the store bought types.  So glad she shared her recipe!



Simplee Sue shared a flu busting smoothie recipe. Influenza is rearing its ugly head here in our area, so this is a timely post!




And now for the special three part feature!!!

Creative Christian Mama has shared three posts on fever. 
All three posts are "must reads" for any mama, papa, well any person really!








Thanks to ALL of you for sharing such wonderful ideas!  If you were featured please feel free to grab a button for your blog.  And please keep linking up great all your Eco-Kid ideas!


Like Mama~Like Daughter
Like Mama~Like Daughter


Now on to the party!!!  I hope that you'll share some great family-friendly posts that are also friendly for the environment. Some ideas include:
  • Nature Activities
  • Outdoor Activities
  • Crafts made with re-purposed or recycled materials
  • Sewing and DIY home projects
  • Science Experiments
  • Posts on environmental issues for kids or families
  • Non-toxic living
  • Homeopathic Remedies
Eco-Kids Tuesdays is co-hosted by Organic Aspirations and Like Mama~Like Daughter this means that anything you link-up shows up on both blogs!

Feel free to link up several of your posts.

There are only a few rules:

Please follow both co-hostess' blogs, and visit some of the other posts and give them some encouragement!  Please stick to posts and photos not giveaways or items for sale.

By linking up, you are agreeing that Organic Aspirations or Like Mama~Like Daughter can feature your photos next week with a link back to your site.  

Please link back to my site using this button (once I get it fixed !!) OR simply text linking within your post!

Like Mama~Like Daughter

Like Mama~Like Daughter